>> Date: Fri Nov 12 11:57:34 1993 >> From: botteron@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Carol J. Botteron) >> Subject: File - Are You a Genealogist? ------- You've probably seen the posters titled "Are You a Preppie?," "Are You a Nerd?," etc. Typically such a poster has a photo of a person dressed in a distinctive manner, and labels pointing to items of clothing, etc. It occurred to me that genealogists wear or carry many items that distinguish us from other people. Some of these items might serve as a useful list for new genealogists. So I started a poster, posted it on soc.roots/Roots-L, and invited suggestions. Here is what we came up with. I made an ASCII sketch of the person but haven't figured out how to do the satchel (now a large backpack). I received great suggestions from several people (who are listed at the end); more ideas are still welcome. If anyone is interested in taking a photograph and making a real poster, please contact me. We'd have to find a lot of "toys" though! Carol Botteron botteron@gnu.ai.mit.edu Here goes: Are You a Genealogist? wide-brimmed hat to ward off ___ sun and rain in cemeteries.../ \ ---------------- trifocal glasses..............| 0^0 |.......pious expression for dust mask....................(|-----|) begging documents from sticky tongue from.............\---/ distant relatives licking stamps |-| -----| |----- bent back from bending..../\ \ \-/ / /\ /8|--|..coffee mug that over documents / || o ||\ \ / 8|__| says "I Brake muscular right arm....../ /||| |o| ||| \ \ /0/ for Cemeteries" from cranking / / |||_|o|_|||: \ \/ /: microfilm readers / / || o || : \ / :watch (to make sure you carpal tunnel......../ / |/ o \| : \/ have time before the syndrome / / | o |: : library closes to check inky hands.......__/--/ oooo======| : : one more reference) writer's cramp....//// :UUUU \_| : :vest with pedigree chart on : | /\ |: : back for others to read coin changer for photocopy: | || | : :shirt with large pockets machines and the lockers | || | : for pens, cards, etc. at the National Archives /---\/---\ : | || | :wallet and checkbook (you can knee pads for finding........\---/\---/ afford genealogy because you books on low shelves | || | don't spend your salary on | || | food, clothing, or shelter) bottom of jogging outfit......| || | (recycled: who has /--/--||--\--\ time to jog?) \--\__||__/--/....hiking shoes or duck boots Large backpack with many pockets: file folders or 3-ring binder with charts, blank forms, Soundex quick reference card acid-free page protectors pens and pencils of various colors business cards, notepad, index cards, envelopes, stamps, stapler flashlight for finding skeletons in closets flowers and chocolates for enticing elderly relatives into revealing family stories and letting you copy their old photos tape recorder for interviewing relatives, plus cassettes of interviews and favorite songs: The Great Historical Bum, I'm My Own Grandpaw, Dem Bones, Grandfather's Clock, Don't Know Much About History scribbled notes from relatives portable computer, cellular telephone, modem calculator for figuring out dates/ages portable photocopier shredder for mail from Bath, Ohio peanut butter sandwiches, fig bars, bananas, coffee thermos, juice packs aspirin or ibuprofen, allergy tablets, eyedrops magnifying glass (with light) tombstone tools: brush, trowel, chalk, shaving cream, jug of water, camera with black-and-white film, rice paper for making impressions maps - topographic, historical, aerial photos old photograph collections English-ancestral language dictionaries large box of tissues for crying when you learn you have been chasing the wrong family (line) for three years folding chair to use in courthouses that don't believe in chairs satchel for things that don't fit in the backpack economical car that gets about 50 miles to the gallon (license plate says ROOTS) Possible backgrounds: a cemetery, a library of old dusty books, a courthouse record room, a church office, a newspaper's morgue, etc. A group of distrustful relatives. :( perhaps like the pitchfork family (Grant Wood's American Gothic) -- holding "root" vegetables -- beets, carrots, rutabegas, etc. or cemetary plot in background with unique gravestones - RIP, interesting crosses, civil war or revolutionary war stones, etc. or a closet of skeletons :) Contributors: Tom Lincoln cmanis@csoftec.csf.com (Cliff Manis) jp@wizard.nrl.navy.mil (J.P. Letellier) margaret@nextofkin.ucs.sfu.ca (Margaret Sharon) Tom Reilley Bill McBrayer Proctor Jeri Steele rbv@cypress.com (Roger Vanderveen) Sharon L Palmateer Brian.Randell@newcastle.ac.uk Tom Cunningham Z_NEWMANJC@CCSVAX.SFASU.EDU "John R. Stephens, Jr." Pam Hillman Holly Stowe STOWE@INDYCMS.BITNET Frieda Davison /end of file//